Groundwater

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Services

• Septic tanks and sewage treatment plants: what you need to do

  How to meet the general binding rules or apply for a permit if you have a septic tank or treatment plant - fees, application forms and exceptions

• Application for an environmental permit: part B6 bespoke water discharge activity, groundwater activity, or point source emission to water from an installation

  Complete if you are applying for a new bespoke permit.

• Apply for consent to investigate a groundwater source

  How to apply for consent to investigate a groundwater source

• Application for an environmental permit: part C6 vary a water discharge activity, groundwater activity, or point source emission to water from an installation

  Complete if you are applying to vary (change) a water discharge or groundwater activity permit, or point source emission to water from an installation.

• Land and groundwater remediation deployment form

  Deployment form MPP2 and form guidance.

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Guidance and regulation

• Flood risk and coastal change
  • Detailed guide
  • 17 September 2025
  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (2018 to 2021), and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• General binding rules: small sewage discharge to the ground
  • Detailed guide
  • 2 October 2023
  • Environment Agency
• Discharges to surface water and groundwater: environmental permits
  • Detailed guide
  • 20 April 2026
  • Environment Agency and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Groundwater source protection zones (SPZs)
  • Detailed guide
  • 1 August 2024
  • Environment Agency
• Animal burials: prevent groundwater pollution
  • Detailed guide
  • 1 April 2022
  • Environment Agency

See more guidance and regulation in this topic

News and communications

• South East Water given £76,000 penalty for water supply breach
  • 29 April 2026
  • Environment Agency
  • Press release
• Wiltshire and Dorset groundwater flooding roadshow
  • 27 October 2023
  • Environment Agency
  • Press release
• Northants waste firm pays out to charity after contaminating groundwater
  • 7 November 2022
  • Environment Agency
  • Press release
• New groundwater flood warning service for Dorset and Wiltshire
  • 25 February 2019
  • Environment Agency
  • Press release
• New technique measures groundwater contamination
  • 4 January 2017
  • Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
  • Case study

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Research and statistics

• Kent: groundwater situation
  • 20 April 2026
  • Environment Agency
  • Research
• Water situation: area monthly reports for England
  • 14 April 2026
  • Environment Agency
  • Research
• Water situation: national monthly reports for England 2026
  • 13 April 2026
  • Environment Agency
  • Research
• Sussex: groundwater situation
  • 10 April 2026
  • Environment Agency
  • Research
• Hampshire: groundwater situation
  • 10 April 2026
  • Environment Agency
  • Research

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Policy papers and consultations

• Environmental permitting: standard rules consultation number 30
  • 13 April 2026
  • Environment Agency
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 24 June 2025
• Groundwater and surface water discharge activities
  • 22 March 2023
  • Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 22 December 2021
• St Leonard’s Court, Sandridge: groundwater pollution remediation
  • 16 January 2019
  • Environment Agency
  • Closed consultation
  • Date closed 07 March 2019
• Assessing and scoring environmental permit and licence compliance
  • 13 March 2025
  • Environment Agency
  • Policy paper
• Groundwater modelling report - Holcroft Moss (WR-008-00001)
  • 24 January 2022
  • High Speed Two (HS2) Limited
  • Impact assessment

See more policy papers and consultations in this topic

Organisations

• Department
  for Environment,
  Food & Rural Affairs
• Animal &
  Plant Health
  Agency
• Ministry of Housing,
  Communities &
  Local Government
• Rural Payments
  Agency

• Environment Agency

Show more organisations

• Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research and Development Programme
• Forestry Commission
• Government Chemist
• High Speed Two (HS2) Limited
• Natural England
• Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
• Nuclear Waste Services
• Sellafield Ltd